Barbara Matheson

Counsellor & Supervisor

About

I am a qualified and very experienced counsellor and supervisor, holding Postgraduate Diplomas in Counselling and Learning and Development, and Certificates in Stress Management and Creative Supervision.

A member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapists (BACP), I work to the code of ethics set down by the BACP ethical framework.

My professional background includes senior management and staff development roles in the recruitment sector, with extensive experience of employability and other career issues, including workplace relationships difficulties and workplace bullying and stress.

Prior to becoming a counsellor, I worked as a freelance learning and development consultant specialising in management development, personal development as a licensed trainer for the award-winning Springboard Womens’ Development Programme.

I have extensive experience of working with a diverse client base, including university students at all stages of their academic careers, young professionals and seniors.

Testimonials

"Barbara is a supportive and encouraging supervisor. She is a patient listener and has great intuition. I have valued her insight, warmth and incisive thinking during the years we have worked together. I would highly recommend her supervision services. "

Qualified counsellor

"Barbara has inspired me to become to person I am today, full of confidence, self-worth and self-esteem. Her wonderful ability to help me identify, understand and deal with my issues and anxieties will be forever invaluable. Thank you so much!"

"Working with Barbara as my supervisor has proven to be a wonderful step for my clients, and for myself. Her ability to be along-side, present, and supportively creative is exactly what I was looking for in a new supervisor. She fulfils, and exceeds, expectations in all aspects of clinical supervision, and more.

Barbara manages - with some wizardry known only to herself as a seasoned supervisor - to maintain a professional and relational supervisory alliance whilst also allowing for the personal aspects of practice and their impacts."

Student counsellor

"Finding Barbara was a godsend. Her kindness and humour are invaluable, and her sessions have helped me immeasurably, particularly while working through grief, self-doubt, and anxiety. I have never left her sessions feeling anything less than understood, cared for, and calm. I cannot recommend Barbara enough and am thrilled to be working with her."

"As a trainee, picking a supervisor felt like a daunting task. What struck me first in reading Barbara’s biography was her warmth and acceptance and this has been apparent throughout our work together. Barbara understands the challenges I face as a trainee and has supported me throughout. She has provided a safe space where I have been able to grow into myself as a counsellor. I feel held in a relationship where I can be challenged and can bring whatever I am experiencing in terms of client work."

Student counsellor

"I've appreciated your help tremendously over the weeks and months. You have been absolutely brilliant, the best counsellor I could ever hope for. "

"Thank you so much for all your help. I am eternally grateful for all of your support and understanding. I am really excited for the next chapter in my life."

"I came to see Barbara several years ago, at a particularly dark time in my life and then again, a few years later. I was anxious, wasn’t coping and had a low self-esteem. From the first session I found Barbara very easy to talk to, she is genuine and understanding. With her guidance, I have learnt how to practice self-care and how to accept myself. She helped me to see things in a different light, and as a result I feel more confident and I can cope with difficult situations much better. I found Barbara’s service invaluable and would recommend her counselling service to everyone. "